La Grange residents will face a 7 percent water rate increase after trustees unanimously approved the hike at Monday night's Village Board meeting, despite pushback during the debate.

A trustee argued the village already holds "very decent reserves" in its water account, questioning whether the increase is necessary. Resident Al Foreman also appeared before the board to urge trustees to vote against the hike.

The debate comes as the village faces rising costs for its mandated lead service line replacement program. Civil engineer Kaitlin Wright told the board Monday that replacement costs per home have increased in recent months and warned that the trend will continue.

"La Grange's lead line replacement costs will only go up," Wright said.

During deliberations, Trustee Beth Augustine asked Village President Mark Kuchler not to rush trustees, raising a broader concern about the pace of board discussions.

La Grange water rates already rose 5 percent in May 2025, meaning residents will face back-to-back increases under the newly approved hike.

Despite the debate, the board ultimately passed the increase by a unanimous vote.